Snap-hook



(No Model.)

H. S. STAP'LER.

SNAP HOGK.

N0. 318,817. Patented May 26, 1885 /r EIEEE 5 Mal L I Xmwk.

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Unites States Patent (Drains.

HENRY S. STAPLER, OF DOLINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

SNAP-HOOK.

EBPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,817, dated May 26, 1885.

Application died February 2 1885.

To all whom may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY S. S'rAPLmua citizen of the United States, residing at Dolington, in the county of Bucks and State of Pennsylvania, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Snap-Hooks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it up pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereomwhieh form apart of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in snaphooks, and has for an object to so form the points of the latch and engage same with the point of the hook that asmooth flush joint will be had within the hook, and all projecting lodges and shoulders will be avoided. It has for a further object to so form and arrange the pivoted end of the tongue within the mortise in the hook that the rubber will be protected from moisture and atmospheric in tluences, and will consequently last for a greater length of time.

To the ends describedtheinvention consists in certain novel constructions and arrangements of parts combined and operating as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view, Fig. 2 a top edge view, and Fig. 8 a longitudinal section, of my snap-hook; and Fig. d is a detail view of the point or extremity of the tongue. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the rubber block.

The hook proper, A, has its shank a provided at its upper side with amortise or socket, B, through the walls I) of which I form the openings for the pivot-pin G, on which the tongue 1) is supported. This tongue D is pivoted on the pin 0, and has a wing or depending portion, E,which fits within the mortise B. The front edge, e, of the wing E is curved in approximately the arc of a circle struck from the pivot G,and moves flush against the front wall, I), of the mortise B. The wing Eis provided below and slightly in advance of the pivot O with a square bearing shoulder, c, and the edge 0' of such wing, above the said square shoulder, extends rearwardly, as shown most (So model.)

clearly in Fig. 3, and serves to hold the front end of the rubber block G against the shoulder c. This block Gis fitted closely and bears between the'shoulder c and the rear wall, If, of

the mortise B, and by its tension operates to hold the tongueDin the position shownin full lines, Figs. 1 and 3. I also form the tongue with an extension, F, which projects rearwardly from the pivot C and over the block G of rubber. The rear end of this extension fits close to and moves finsh against the rear wall, I), of the mortiseB. Byprojccting this extension over the rubber block G the said block is held in operative position. To this end I curve the under side of the extension F atj', so that a space is provided to allow freedom of elasticity in the rubber when compressed by the action of the tongue. It will be noticed that the edge e of wing E, and the rear end of the extremity F, by fitting and moving closely to the end walls of the mortise B, prevent the ingress of water, and the tongue, fitting closely the side walls ofthe mortise,prevents ingress of water at the side. I thus secure the rubber block in approximately a water and air tight case, and so protect the same from the deterioration usually experienced when rubber is exposed. By forming the bearing-shoulder c at a point slightly in advance of the pivot C,and projecting the edge c rea-rwardly over the rub her, the latter is held in engagement with the tongue at all times and operates more forcibly against the tongue, as will be understood from Fig. 3. The front end of the hook proper is curved upwardly at 1, thence rearwardly at 2, and down to the point at 3. It will be noticed that at the point X,wh'ere the strain is exerted onthe hook, the said hook is thickenechso as to increase its strength,and it decreases in thickness toward the point 3. This'point is rounded, as will be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to present no obstruction to the ready insertion and removal of a cockeye, or other loop when the tongue is depressed. The point or extremity of the tongue is provided in its upper side with a recess, H, fitted to receive the point of the hook. The extremity of the tongue is arranged to lie in line with the inner side of the point of the tongue, and the recess H opens at the end of the tongue, and the under side of said tongue rounds up at its end, so that when the points are in engagement, as shown in Fig. 1, the under surfaces of the tongue and hook form a flush joint and present an unbroken line. By this recess, therefore, I not only obviate all lateral strain on the end of the tongue, but I also avoid all projections and shoulders within the hook by which the cockeye or other connection might be engaged and caused to open the spring-tongu e, thus rendering the hook more seeure,and avoiding even the possibility of accidental disengagement of a loop connected therewith. The rubber block will be seen to be ofa peculiar construction. It is made wedge-shaped, being widest at its rear end, as shown in Fig. 5, so said end will be clamped firmly between the side walls, I) I), of the mortise B, while its other end is left free to move back and forth as the block is cmnpressed by the tongue. I also make the block from end to end concave on its upper and convex on its lower side, so that the compressive force eX- erted on one end of such block will operate directly in the line of the said block and compress it in the direction of its greatest length.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

The combination, in a snap-hook,of the hook proper, havingits shank provided with a mertise, B, the tongue D, pivoted at 0 within the mortise and having a rear extension, F, having its ends arranged to move flush against the rear wall of the mortise B, having a depend ing wing, E, formed with a front eurvededge, 0, moving flush with the front wall edge of the mortise, a square shoulder, e,arranged slightly in advance of the pivot O, anda rubber block, G, arranged andbearing between the rear wall of the mortise and the shoulder e, and under the extension F, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY S. STAPLEB.

Witnesses:

1?. B. TURIIN, O. M. KRAMER. 

